THE 69 EYES

The 69 Eyes are a multi-platinum selling Finnish rock band. They are currently signed to EMI Finland. The band’s albums are now distributed worldwide. The End Records acts as the band’s official North American distributor, as Nuclear Blast Records provides distribution in Europe. Australia will be handled by AmpHead Music. All Asian and Latin American releases are handled by EMI affiliates.

Music style

Initially, the 69 Eyes’ music style was of glam metal influenced by acts such as Mötley Crüe and Hanoi Rocks. However, they began to incorporate more influence from gothic rock bands such as The Mission, The Cult, The Sisters of Mercy and The Lords of the New Church. Their sound was described as a mix of the gloominess of gothic rock with guitar-powered rock’n’roll. Their music continued to show further influence from other rock artists such as The Doors, Elvis Presley, and Billy Idol as well as vampire films and literature. The term “goth ‘n roll” is used by fans to describe their style. They are often described as a dark rock band, a term which the band has embraced. In recent times, with the release of Back in Blood The 69 Eyes have moved back to a more guitar based sound, although gothic imagery and lyrical themes remain forefront in their style.

Band history

Formed in the bars of Helsinki, Finland in the summer of 1989 by Jyrki 69, Archzie (formerly of Syyskuu), Timo-Timo, Lotto and Bazie, The 69 Eyes originally had a glam metal style and were compared to other Finnish glam metal acts such as Smack and Hanoi Rocks. The band’s lineup has stayed the same since 1992 when drummer Jussi 69 replaced original drummer Lotto who had played on the band’s first two 7 inch vinyl singles.

On 29 July 2015, the band announced that they were working on a new album with producer Johnny Lee Michaels in Helsinki. Johnny Lee Michaels previously worked with the band on four consecutive albums (Blessed Be,Paris Kills,Devils,Angels.) The new album was set to be released in early 2016. They also announced the first single “Jet Fighter Plane” to be released on January 15, 2016. The second single “Dolce Vita” was released on April 8, 2016. Both singles had music videos directed by Ville Juurikkala. The album titled Universal Monsters was released on April 22, 2016. The third single was announced to be “Jerusalem” and was released with a music video on May 13, 2016.